Automobile trunk rack



C. B. DURHAM ET AL AUTOMOBILE TRUNK RACK March 251% 1926.

Filed April 12 Patented hier. .23, i925.

isaiasi UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcs.

CADY B. DURHAM AND FRANK Gr. FARRY, OF FIINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO GEN- ERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF BETROQVICHIGAN, A CORORATION F :DllibV Wanna.

Applicationled April 12, 1924. Serial No.

To ZZ I'to/icm it may concern.'

Be it known that we, CADY B. DURI-IAM and FRANK G. Fanny, citizens oit the United States, and residents et' Flint, county ot Genesee. and State ot ilfjlichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Trunk Racks, ot' which the 'l'ollowingr is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which the invention relates to make and use the saine, reterence being' made therein to the accompanying drawings7 which Aform a part ot' this specification.

This invention relates to baggage supports 'tor automobiles, and is illustrated as embodied in a sport model automobile having' a rack at the rear end ot' the body. An obi ject of the invention is to make it unnecessary to use a. trunk of special shape to tit the curved rear end otl the automobile body, so that a steamer trunk or other unspeei'tlized trunk can be used when desired, and also 'te permit the use ot a more inexpensive trank as regular equipment. its one desirable arrangement, the rack comprises horizontal rails hooked at their forward ends substan tially in line with the top ot' the body` to support the. iront :tace of a trunk which is rectangular in cross-section.

The above and other objects and features oic the invention will be apparent from the following' description of one illustrative embodiinent shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

l-Tigure l is a side elevation ot part ot the rear end ot a Buicr sport model'automobileq showing the trunk and its rack Figure 2 is a rear elevation ot the parte shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to part ot -Figure l, but on a larger scale` and showing the manner of strapping' in place a steamer' trunk or other unspecialized trunk; and

Figure 4 is a rear elevation ot one oi the hooked rails and a cooperating body-protecting knob immediately above it.

The invention is shown as embodied in an automobile having .a chassis trame i0, body 12 curved at 14 to form an overhanging portion in the usual manner, and top 16. Immediately above the tuel tank 18 and rear cross frame member 2O is a trunk rack comprising a plat-form 22 on which are arranged AUTOMOBILE TRUNK nnen.

parallel trunk rails described below, tion; y

noc rding;l to the present invention, a relatively inexpensive trunk ot rectangular cross-section is provided as regular equipment, and means is provided tor securing on the rack when desired a steamer trunk (Figure 3) or other unspecialized trunk. lre'ierably the trunk 2G furnished as regular equipment is formed with vertical sleeves through which pass clamping rods threaded into the platform 2:2 or into the end rails 2a.

ln order to hold a trunk et' this character firmly, each rail 24. has ahook portion 82 at its forward end, 'the various hook portions being in alinenient transversely and being substantially in a vertical plane tangent to the upper part of the curved portion 14; ot the body l2. "immediately above each of the hook portions 3Q is a knob 84e carried by the body l2, and arranged to engage and support the top ot the trunk. `When a steamer trunk is carried, it is held by straps 36 passingI through loops 38 at the :trent and rear, and at opposite ends7 of therack.

While onev illustrativo embodimei'it has been described in detail, it is not the inten tion to limit the scope oit' the invention to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms oit the appended claims.

lille claim:

l. A device for attachment to an automobile having a chassis frame, and a body on the trame curved at its rear end to provide an overhanging portion, comprising; a trunk rack having' parallel longitudinal rails for attachment to the chassis frame, each of said rails having' a trank-supporting vertical hook portion at its forward end, the various hook portions being` in alinement with each other transversely and being` substantially in a plane tangent to the upper part of the curved end ot the body vertically.; means substantially in said tangent plane verti- Except as further this is standard construcvcally above said hook portions and carried by the body for engaging and siqiponting` the top oi' a trunk on the rack, and means for holding' a rectangular trunk on said rails with its front face in supporting engagement with said hook portions and said means on Vthe body.

2. A device for attachment to an automobile having a chassis tra1ne,' and a body on IUD the frame curvedlat its rear end to provide an overhanging portion, comprising a trunk rack having,` parallel longitudinal rails for attachment to the chassis frame, each of said rails having a trunk-supporting vertical hook portion at its forward end, the various hook portions being,` in alineinent with each other transversely and being substantially in a plane tangent to the upper part ofv the curved end of the body vertically, knobs Substantially in said tangent plane` vertically above said hook portions and carried by the body for engaging and supporting the top of a trunk on the rack, and loops to receive straps holding` a rectangular trunk on said 15 rails with its front 'ace in supporting,` engagement with said hook portions and said knobs.

3. In the combination as set forth in claim 2, said trunk being provided with clamping` devices passing therethrough and concealed therein, andineans associated With the ends of said devices andthe trunk rack for clainping the trunk upon the rack.

In testimony whereof ive our signa- 25 tures.

C. B. DUR-HAM. FRANK G. FARRY. 

